Partners
by humbirdbum
Summary: After a surprising turn of events, Natsumi and Miyuki take their relationship to the next level as partners. Waff, shoujoai, oneshot. NatMiyu


**Partners**

Pairing: Natsumi + Miyuki  
Genre: Romance, humor, waff  
Warnings: Shoujo-ai  
Disclaimer: You're Under Arrest does not belong to me; I just like to play with it.  
Author's Notes: ok, I'm supposed to be studying for my exams, but no… this is when insert term for the opposite of writers' block chose to hit me. Haha! This is a really cheesy fic. I think. I'm more of a yaoi fan than a yuri fan, but this couple is WAY TOO CUTE. so there you have it.

Dedication: to dreamcatcher

Miyuki walked down the driveway to where her car was parked on the street, each slow step vaguely registering in her mind. Coming to a stop by her car door, she realized that she didn't seem to have the energy to open it, so she turned around and leaned back against it instead. Her gaze came to rest on the apartment she had just come out of. She had expected to spend more time in it. Still, she had spent a good couple of hours there. And she definitely hadn't expected the outcome those couple of hours in Ken Nakajima's home.

Shaking her head, Miyuki averted her gaze to the sky. She remembered how she used to count the stars as a child… or rather try to count them. Until she learned that was rather pointless and silly. But she missed doing pointless and silly things. She wished she could something pointless and silly right then.

"_Like something Natsumi would do."_

Her partner's nature often left messes to clean up… a lot of messes to clean up… but it always refreshed her. And more than often comforted her. Miyuki wondered if she needed comforting at that moment.

"_I think I'm more shocked than sad."_

She sighed, and checked her watch. 10:30pm.

"_I wonder if she's home yet… she probably went off barhopping after dropping me off here… god help the soul she dragged with her. "_

"Hai! I'd like a 6-pack please! And some… ish cweam wid… mnn…."

Miyuki turned towards the sound of the familiar voice. And blinked. Twice. No, she wasn't seeing things.

"_You've gotta be kidding me."_

A little distance away to Miyuki's left, seated on a motorcycle with her arms propped up on the handle bars and head cradled in her arms, Natsumi Tsujimoto had managed to fall asleep. Miyuki hadn't noticed her earlier since the wall Natsumi was currently leaning against had obstructed Miyuki's view while coming out of the apartment.

"…pointless and silly." Miyuki mumbled as she made her way towards Natsumi. The rise and fall of her best friend's back was slightly hypnotizing. Miyuki felt a little bad as she shook her shoulder, yanking her away from her world of beer and… ice cream.

Natsumi's eyes creaked open. "Mmnph… it's still dark out… 10 more minutes please…"

"Natsumi."

"Oh alright, alright…" she pushed herself up, yawning, stretching, rubbing her eyes and then… "Huh? Wah! Where? Where am I? Where?"

Miyuki chuckled. Natsumi looked at her, and you could see the light of enlightenment slowly creeping across her face. "Oh." She grinned sheepishly. "Yo!"

"Hey. I didn't expect to find you here."

"Ehehe... so how'd it go?" Natsumi coughed.

"Hmm?"

"You know…" she nodded towards the apartment.

"Oh. Right…"

Miyuki's lips curled into a smile, the kind that Natsumi knew meant... "Not good, huh?"

"Um, well… he's gay."

Natsumi blinked. "…what? You're pulling my leg right?"

Miyuki shook her head.

"You're serious! What the he– it can't– what the hell – "

"Let's just forget about it… I mean…" Miyuki sighed. "Can we go home?" The wind blew, and she clutched her arms, fighting off the cold.

"Yeah. Sure thing."

Nodding with some relief, Miyuki turned to walk back to her car. She was stopped by a hand on her arm. Natsumi had dismounted, and was holding out a helmet and jacket to her. "I'm not letting you drive."

"Don't be silly, I'm fine – "

Natsumi held up her finger. "No arguing with me on this one."

Miyuki conceded.

Halfway through the ride, it began to rain.

"Natsumi… you should take your jacket back… I'm not cold anymore…"

"You will be if you take it off."

A pause.

"I can't win over you tonight, can I?"

"Not a chance. Now shut up, hang on, and stop worrying!" Natsumi flashed a grin over her shoulder before upping her speed. Miyuki was about to tell Natsumi to be more careful, but she decided against it and resigned to following Natsumi's instructions instead – she kept quiet, tightened her hold around Natsumi's waist, and let herself relax. Natsumi felt her back warm. She really didn't feel the need for a jacket.

The warmth of their apartment greeted them as they entered.

"Go put on some dry clothes, Natsumi."

"Hai, hai."

"You want anything from the kitchen?"

"A cold beer would be nice." Natsumi replied before rounding the corner, but she didn't round it soon enough to miss Miyuki's frown. "But maybe hot coco would be more in order!" she called.

"Done!" Miyuki called back after her.

Natsumi returned to the living room in a baggy shirt and shorts with a towel around her neck. Miyuki wasn't there, but her drink was waiting for her on the table. She plopped herself down on the couch and picked up the mug. She took a few small sips, relished the feeling of the hot liquid sinking to her stomach, and leaned her head back. She raised it again shortly afterwards however, when she felt the couch shift beside her. Miyuki had joined her. Natsumi offered the mug, and when Miyuki took it out of her hands, she stretched her arms across the back of the couch. The two watched the raindrops beat against and slide down the windowpane opposite them. For a while they simply nestled in comfortable silence, until Natsumi gently breached it.

"Days like this… when I was at HQ… I couldn't take it…"

Miyuki turned to her with a raised inquiring eyebrow.

"I think the rain made me miss…" Natsumi paused, before finishing, rather hesitantly, "…Bokuto station… too much…"

After regarding her for a moment, Miyuki smiles lightly, "Well… I'm glad you came back."

"Hm. Me too."

"You _are_ useful to have around after all."

"So I'm just a tool? Meanozoid."

Miyuki chuckled, then looking back out the window said, "But times like today… I don't know what I would've done without you."

A few moments of silence. Then Miyuki turned again to Natsumi, passing the mug of hot chocolate. "I can't believe you fell asleep on your bike outside the apartment! And it's a good thing you sleep talk or I might not have noticed you! I'd have driven off and left you there to get mugged or something!"

Natsumi grinned sheepishly, just like she had earlier that day. "I guess I got bored waiting."

Chuckling, Miyuki punched at Natsumi's arm playfully. "You." Then resting her hand on the spot she had punched, she added, "Thanks."

"For what?

"You didn't have to… but you came back to Nakajima's apartment…"

"I never left."

Miyuki blinked. "Huh?"

Natsumi blinked, and looked up from the hand on her arm, where here gaze had fallen and fixed itself intently for the past few seconds. "I said that out loud…?"

"Wait… so you were there the whole time? Waiting for me outside?" Miyuki asked, tilting her head.

Natsumi gave a timid nod.

"But I heard you drive off…"

In a voice just loud enough for Miyuki to hear, Natsumi said, "I just took a round of the block… then came right back… I figured leaving you once was enough… and I decided… not to do it again…"

Silence. That wasn't quite as comfortable as it was earlier.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Natsumi mentally pleaded,_ "Please say something… anything…" _

"Natsumi… you're turning blue."

"_Eh?"_ Natsumi then realized she had been holding her breath. With a sigh, she let it go, and opening her eyes, she came face to face with Miyuki.

"You have some explaining to do, partner."

Natsumi flashed a nervous, but still sheepish, grin. "Partner, huh…" she huffed. "Miyuki… I… want to be your partner to every sense of the word."

Silence. Again.

Until Miyuki nonchalantly remarked, "I'm getting a lot of surprises today."

"Ehehe… sorry for the added bombshell." Natsumi rubbed the back of her neck. "To be honest… I was… relieved… about Nakajima. And I felt so guilty for feeling that way too."

Natsumi felt Miyuki's hand, which still hadn't left her arm, squeeze gently. "Don't. This is one surprise I quite like. And… I was rather relieved myself."

That was a surprise to Natsumi. "You were?"

"It just… dragged on for too long, y'know…"

She sounded… weary. Natsumi could only imagine how much it must've pained Miyuki… to have the prospect of love within arm's reach… and yet never reaching it… even if it was so obvious that… _"Ah, damn."_

The now empty mug dropped onto the rug. Miyuki found herself being pulled forward, and she caught a glimpse of fervent maroon eyes before she realized she was being kissed. By Natsumi. And the kiss was everything that Natsumi was – wild, strong, and hot… and at the same time extremely… kind. Miyuki felt as if the world was shrinking rapidly… until all it came down to was the feel of Natsumi's lips against hers… and the image of those burgundy irises in her mind that bore into her, planted itself in the deepest depths of her, and grew until it filled and spilled out and drowned her… leaving her floating, as warm and secure as she we all are during our first 9 months of life.

Natsumi pulled back, and Miyuki found her arms had somehow found their way around Natsumi's neck. Smiling, she leaned her forehead against Natsumi's. "Wow. I _really_ can't win over you tonight."

"What are you talking about? You've already won me over, Miyuki. Sin

"So you're gay too, huh?"

She earned a grin. "Yes. Yes, I am."

"I'm glad that works out for me this time."

The grin widened. "Does that mean I can screw control and go all out on you now?"

"Yes, please–"

And she didn't have time utter another syllable.


End file.
